The Red Umbrella: Chapters 29–37

by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
After the Communist revolution in Cuba, fourteen-year-old Lucía Álvarez and her brother are sent to the United States to make a new life in Nebraska.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–14, Chapters 15–20, Chapters 21–28, Chapters 29–37
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. matinee
    a theatrical performance held during the daytime
    “For the matinee of Breakfast at Tiffany's! It’s my treat, remember? For your birthday.”
  2. barren
    providing no shelter or sustenance
    I could see him out by the now-barren field, trying to catch the snowflakes.
  3. clasp
    a fastener that is used to hold two things together
    As she fastened the clasp in the back, she whispered, "You’re a very special girl, Lucía Alvarez."
  4. possession
    anything owned
    She said that Frankie and I were her most prized possessions, and knowing that we were safe was the only way she could survive being apart from me on my fifteenth birthday.
  5. influence
    the effect of one thing or person on another
    I’m figuring that my parents threw the letters away because they think you might be a bad influence on me.
  6. garland
    a circular band of flowers or other foliage
    The Baxter house sparkled with multicolored lights and evergreen garlands draped with icicles.
  7. trivet
    a stand, often with short feet, used under a hot dish
    “Lucía, can you go get Frankie? Mr. Baxter is washing up already.” Mrs. Baxter placed two trivets on the dining room table.
  8. prod
    push against gently
    "We can help you, Mrs. Baxter,” I said, prodding Frankie to stand up.
  9. extravagant
    recklessly wasteful
    "We can’t be as extravagant as Santa.”
  10. glisten
    be shiny, as if wet
    Her purple coat glistened with melted snowflakes.
  11. comrade
    a term of address for males engaged in the same movement
    We here in Cuba are your true friends. Your comrades. I hope you come home soon before it’s too late.
    Comrade is a term frequently used among communists to refer to others who are engaged in the movement.
  12. brace
    prepare for something unpleasant or difficult
    I braced myself in case the news was really bad.
  13. denounce
    speak out against
    Castro Denounces U.S., Roars Defiance of OAS
    —The Times Record, February 5,1962
  14. cradle
    hold gently and carefully
    "Guess so,” I answered, cradling the receiver between my ear and shoulder.
  15. undergo
    pass through
    In it he had described how happy he was to finally be leaving the hospital after undergoing his third and, hopefully, final surgery, but he also mentioned how it pained him to go back home.
  16. seep
    pass gradually or leak or as if through small openings
    A sadness seeped through his words and made its way straight into my heart.
  17. saunter
    walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
    He sauntered around me like a cat ready to pounce.
  18. migration
    the periodic passage of groups of animals
    The warming temperatures brought new life to Grand Island as everyone geared up for the large bird migration.
  19. pelt
    attack and bombard with or as if with missiles
    Jennifer shrugged. “I guess, but ugh, wait till you have to clean up after them. The birds, I mean, not the bird-watchers. They make a mess on the cars, the sidewalks, everything! It’s disgusting! Betty even got pelted in the head last year walking into school.”
  20. studious
    characterized by diligent study and fondness for reading
    Embarrassed, I sat up straight in the wooden chair and tried to look studious.
  21. scour
    examine minutely
    She normally saw me in the library by myself, scouring the newspapers for stories on what was happening in Cuba.
  22. materialism
    a desire for wealth and possessions
    Have you completely sold yourself to the materialism of the American society?
  23. abandon
    forsake; leave behind
    If you decide to stay where you are, then you are no better than all the other gusanos who’ve abandoned their homeland.
  24. blatant
    without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
    Not because they were true, but because they were such blatant lies.
  25. tacky
    tastelessly showy
    There were giant butterflies and ladybugs scattered among the blossoms. It was as if springtime had arrived in cartoonland. It was colorful, and a bit tacky, but I loved it.
  26. motto
    a favorite saying of a sect or political group
    It was like a mother’s unwritten motto.
  27. indefinitely
    to an unknown extent
    "I was told I have seven days to leave the country or I have to stay indefinitely.”
  28. persuade
    cause somebody to adopt a certain position or belief
    First, Mrs. Baxter persuaded her friend Gladys to let Mamá and us stay in the guest cottage behind her house.
  29. smother
    envelop completely
    In a moment she had dropped her purse and lifted Frankie off the ground, smothering him with kisses.
  30. frail
    physically weak
    It was Papá, looking older and more frail.
Created on Wed Sep 04 03:05:45 EDT 2013 (updated Wed Aug 29 10:15:37 EDT 2018)

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